Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-10-15
a Japanese Execution.

AS each man stepped from the path
on to the plateau his eyes were firmly
bandaged with white paper, the only
act OF mercy | saw vouchsafed that
morning. Finally they were ranged In
line. the two cripples huddled on the
ground. their poor heads as they droop-
cd from shoulder to shoulder being
roughly buffeted to proper angle by
the policemen in charge. This accom-
plished, amid silence so absolute that
we could almost hear our hearts beat,
the great man on the camp-stool rose,
and unfolding large document read |
IN a loud voice what we supposed to be
description Of the crimes TOR which
the poor fellows were TO suffer and the
process Of condemnation and sentence.
This was very long business, and be.
fore 1t had nearly finished the native
spectators were laughing and joking
upon the appearance OF the doomed
men, with the callousness to human
suffering which so much bIackens the
otherwise amiable, and pleasing char
acter OF the Japanese people. At last
II was finished. AS there were but
five holes for seven prisoners, two
would be obliged to remain in blind
agony while their companions were
being dispatched. Five men were &C.
eordlngly thrust forward with the
slaves and fists of the police;
each man was made to squat
on a mound, his clothes--if filthy. tat
! tered rags could be clothes--stripped
from his shoulders, his hands tied be-
hind his back. and his head pushed for
ward over the hole. Our feelings at
I this awful moment can better be mag
ined than described. but / think we
felt quite as much pity for the two poor
wretches left alone 20 listen 20 what
was going on without that artificial aid
TO fortitude which the sight of crowd
sometimes gives. as for their compan-
ions on their death seats Undoubted-
~ execution by the trenchant Japanese
sword is as mercful death as can be
desired; but the oriental nature, as II 70
compensate for this erring on the side
OF mercy. counterbalances II by an un.
due prolongation Of the preparations
for death. which Is worse than hun
bred deaths. So in this case. As the
poor fellows knelt over their holes the
executioner slowly aud deliberately
took of his coat and barred his arms
Then he took from its silk casing th'
fatal sword. examined Ii fondly anC
lingeringly from the Yasnri me, o.
filings on the hilt 10 keep the grasl
. from slipping, along the KfTinion. o
groove in the blade. 10 the point belt
Il over pail while coolic tricklet
, water down IL aud with a grea
deal Of settling OF his feet wa
ready. / felt sick and giddy but
, kept my eyes fixed on the scene. Al
sign from the official on the camp-stool
; the execuiioner raised his sword slight
, III, hardly half a dozen inches. and q
most before could realize It the man
a head WAS hanging over the hole by
/ single ligament. and the blood wa
a gushing forth in torrents. ! then sa'
why tho executioner had not con
! pleicly severed the head; and the VOL
A derful skill Of the Japanese swordsmef
. using as they do the most perfe'
!, weapons in the world. can be imagine
I in so arranging the force OF the bio
/, that absolute deeapitation does nj
: take place. He tore the head off an
|. held Il toward the four sides Of u
4 square; then he gave il 10 cooli
r who roughly plastered the severed pc
a ton with clay and stuck Il on a kind
A elevated shelf In the meanwhile tR
= coolies were humping on the back
/, the PROSTATE body 10 hasten the rui
y Of blood, after which one OF coar
!, mats was thrown over il and 1t w
/. laid ASIDE. I had seen enough. and
"A turned my head away as the exec
!, toner, after wiping his blade wi
q paper, approached the second pc
:. wretch, who was shouting out.som
!. III ng ut the top Of his voice. whether
u confession or dcnuncia.ion of
/, ins,icc | was not scholar enough
:, understand. The GentiemGa's MG
~ dsine.